Surface-contact structure.



PATBNTED JAN. 27,-1903. E. M. HEWLETT. SURFACE CONTACT STRUCTURE.APPLICATIOFI FILED MAR. 27, 190i. RENEWED APR... 23, 1902.

I 10 MODEL.

IltlJIl Witnesses:

Inventor".

wlem.

UNlTElD dramas Parent OFFICE.

EDVABD M. HEWLETT, OF SOHENEOTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALELEOTRIOOOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SURFACE CONTACT STRUCTURE.

SPECIFIChTLfQN forming part of Letters latent No. 719,003, dated January27, 1903.

Original application filed October 20, 1897, serial No. 656,777.

Divided and this application filed March 2'7. 1901. Renewed April 23,1902. Serial No- 104314. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it 'nuw concern:

Be it known that l, EDWARD M. HEwLE'r'r,a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Im provements inSurface-Contact Structures, (Case No. 2,1aS,) of which the following isa specification.

' This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 655,777,filed October 20, 1897.

The invention relates to improvements in surface-contact structures forelectric railways of the type wherein the conductor engaged by thecollector on the car is divided into insulated sections which are formedof studs orbuttous exposed in the roadway.

The object of the invention is to provide a structure of practicalcommercial value which is easy and cheap to make, is reliable and safein operation, and the destructive parts of which may be readily removedfor repair and replacement.

The drawingis avertical section of a structure embodying the invention.

A metal casing N is adapted to receive the operative parts of thestructure and is provided with bolt-holes N,whereby it is adapted to besecured to a suitable support in the roadway, such as the Woodencross-ties. The parts will be described in the order of assemblage. Thecasing N is provided With a hole in its bottom for the reception of abushing L, of suitable insulating material, which is made hollow for thereception of the insulated lead This lead is adapted to be connected tothe feeder or main, preferably through an electromagnetically actuatedswitch. (Not shown.) The lead extends through the bushing into theinterior of the casing, where its insulation is removed for attachmentto the conducting parts. Abolt L, screw-threaded at its upper end, isinserted head downward in the casing, and the bare end of the lead issuitably attached to the head of the bolt to form a good electricalconnection therewith. The lower end of the bolt next its head ispreferably square, and held on its square portion is a leaf-spring L 50A spring of any other shape suitable for the purpose might be used.Blocks M and M,

of suitable insulating material, preferably wood, as shown, and heldtogether by an annular spline N are nextinserted in the easing tocompletely fill the same, as shown. The blocks are formed with upper andlower recesses, which communicate with each other by a groove P, asshown. After the blocks are inserted in the casing, the lead having beenattached to the bolt L, a suitable plastic insulating compound Q ispoured into the groove P, so as to completely fill the lower recess andthe groove, but is prevented by the bushing L from running out throughthe bottom of the casing. A surface-contact stud L, adapted to beengaged by the car-collector and interiorly screw-threaded, is nextscrewed on the upper end of the bolt L by means of spanner-holes l,formed in its upper surface, the shoulders of this stud engaging intheupper recess of the insulatingblock and serving to draw the boltupwardly in the hole, so that the spring L engages the top of the lowerrecess of the blocks, thus preventing the bolt from turning andpreventing the contact-stud from becoming loose on the end of the bolt.The insulating-filling Q, soon hardens, so as to support the bolt inplace entirely independently of the stud L, which can be readily removedby unscrewing when it becomes worn by the engagement of thecollector-shoes carried by the cars.

It will be seen that the use of the insulating-filling Q prevents theaccess of moisture around the stud from the roadway to the lower recessin the insnlating'blocks, where a short circuit to ground might takeplace from the lead or the bolt through the metal casing. Furthermore,the insulating-filling in the lower recess insulates the lead, the bolt,and the spring from the metal casing to prevent a similarshort circuit.When the insulatingblocks themselves become impaired, the stud L can beremoved and the blocks entirely removed from the casing to permitreplacement.

As the lower portion of the bolt and the lead attached thereto are eachcompletely protected by the insulating-filling, these parts arepractically permanent and will not require any further attention afterthey are once as- [00 sembled. If, however, it is desired to removethem, it may be done without disturbing the, metal casing or removing itfrom its support, and an entirely new structure can be inserted in thesame metal casing.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. In a surfacecontact structure, the combination with a surroundingmetal casing, of a screw-threaded bolt to which a surface contact issecured, and a spring arranged to take up the variations between theinsulating material and the surface contact.

2. In a roadway structure, the combination with a conducting-support, ofa metal surface stud removably mounted thereon, insulating materialsurrounding all but the top of said stud and all of the support exceptthat portion covered by the stud, and an electrical connection extendingthrough the insulating material to the support.

3. In a roadway structure, the combination with a metal casing having ahole for the lead in its bottom, a bolt to which the lead is attached,insulation in the casing for holding the bolt in position therein, and ametal surface stud secured to the upper end of the bolt.

4. In a roadway structure, the combination with a metal casing having ahole for the lead in its bottom, of a bolt to which the lead isattached, an insulatingblock'in the casing having an upper recess, avertical groove for the bolt, an insulating-filling in the groove aroundthe bolt, and a metal stud secured to the bolt in the upper recess.

' 5. In a roadway structure, the combination with a metal casing havinga lower opening for the lead, a bolt in the casing to which the lead isattached, an insulatingblock in the casing having a vertical groove forthe bolt, a lower recess for the head of the bolt, an insulating-fillingin said vertical groove and lower recess around the bolt and lead, and ametal stud screwed to the upper end of the bolt.

6. A structure for electric railways, which consists of aninsulating-block having an upper recess and a vertical groovecommunicating therewith, a metal bolt in the groove, a

metal stud screwed to the upper end of the bolt and resting in the upperrecess of the support, and a spring between the head of the bolt and thelower part of the insulatingsupport. v

7. A structure for electric railways, which comprises aninsulating-block having an upper and lower recess connected by avertical groove, a bolt in said groove which has its head in the lowerrecess, a metal stud screwed to the end of the bolt in the upper recess,and

a spring in the lower recess between the head of the bolt and the top ofsaid lower recess.

8. A structure for electric railways, which comprises a bolt completelysurrounded and supported by insulating material except at one end, and ametal stud screwed to such exposed end.

9. A structure'for electric railways, which comprises a surface-contactstud, and a metal bolt-rod which carries said stud, said rod beingcompletely surrounded and supported by insulating material except whereit engages the stud.

10. A surface-contact structure, which consists of a casing, blocks ofinsulating material therein, a bolt extending through the blocksentirely within the metal casing, and a surface-contact stud screwed tothe upper end of the bolt and resting on the insulating-blocks.

11. Asurface-contactstructure,whichcomprises a metal casing,insulating-blocks which completely fill the casing and have averticalopening from top to bottom, a conducting-rod which extends through saidopening, a surface-contact stud carried by the upper end of said rod,and hardened plastic insulation filling said opening to prevent the flowof moisture from the roadway.

12. An independent metal stud for surfacecontact railways, which isinteriorly screwthreaded and is provided on its upper surface withspanner-holes.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this th day of March,1901.

EDWARD M. HEWLETT.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, EDWARD WILLIAMS, Jr.

